Medal Grouping of Platoon Sergeant-Major John Clark 1st Battalion, Black Watch, 51st Highland Division. The medal group consists of 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, 1939-45 War Medal, General Service Medal – Palestine and Regular Army Long Service Good Conduct Medal.

Born in 1903, John Clark was a regular soldier, having enlisted in April 1920. He was promoted to Corporal in September 1927 and qualified as an Assistant Signals Instructor at the Army Signal School in Poona, India in 1928. Promotion thereafter was rapid and he was appointed Lance-Sergeant in June 1931, Sergeant in November 1932 and Battalion Signal Sergeant in 1935. He was seconded to Brigade HQ at Haifa in 1938, but re-joined his Battalion at Dover as a C.Q.M.S. in July 1939. Later promoted to W.O. 3 and appointed P.S.M.

He went to France with 1st Battalion, Black Watch in 1939. He was trapped with the rest of the 51st Highland Division at St Valery-en-Caux in June 1940. He successfully avoided capture by riding through the German lines on a motorcycle along with one of his officers, Lieutenant Roger Sanford. They were some of the very few of the Division to escape the German encirclement.

It would appear that he did not see active service again after the French campaign. After leaving the Army, he became a GPO telephonist. Resident at 22, Maison Dieu Road, Dover, he died from lung cancer on the 28th March 1959 at Kearnsey Nursing Home, Dover.